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US Senate Moves Closer to Vote on China Trade Bill
The US Senate voted 92-5 Thursday to proceed to final consideration of a bill to grant permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status to China, paving the way for a vote on the bill next week.
The Senate also rejected an amendment by Minnesota Democratic Sen. Paul Wellstone calling on China to increase religious freedom.
The measure, which was the first of many proposed amendments threatening the passage of the PNTR bill, was defeated by a vote of 69-28.
The PNTR bill was approved by the House of Representatives 237-197 in May this year and the Senate is expected to follow suit when a final vote comes next week.
While the Senate's move was welcomed by the White House and business circles in the country, a few anti-China senators such as Jesse Helms from North Carolina and Paul Wellstone from Minnesota are vowing to prepare amendments linking the trade bill with human rights, religious freedom and labor rights.
Senators Fred Thompson and Robert Torricelli, who introduced a legislation to impose sanctions against China and other countries if weapons proliferation was confirmed, have threatened to make it an amendment to the PNTR bill if Democrats refused to vote on it.
According to the Congressional rules, if any amendments are adopted, the PNTR bill has to be sent back to the House for consideration.
"This would create real chaos if it went back to the House," Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota said Wednesday. "It would probably mean the end of PNTR for the year."
President Bill Clinton has made passage of the PNTR bill his top legislative priority for his final year in office.
White House officials have warned that a further delay in Senate passage of the PNTR bill could have serious implications for the US foreign and security policy and would cost US businesses billions of dollars in loss.
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) Thursday lauded the Senate's overwhelming vote to proceed with consideration of PNTR with China, but warned of complacency until it has been passed and signed into law.
"For years, the only thing more impenetrable than the Great Wall of China has been her domestic markets, and today's vote marks a decisive step toward opening them for American companies and workers," said Frank Vargo, NAM vice president for international economic affairs.
"At the same time, we can't rest until the ink has dried on the president's signature on final passage of PNTR," he added.
He said that of particular concern is the legislation introduced by senators Thompson and Torricelli.
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